Katsu Kaminaga
Kaminaga Katsu (神永勝) is the leader of the relatively unknown Shikaku Force of the Onmitsukido and Captain of the Third Division in the Gotei 13. He currently does not have a lieutenant. Appearance Katsu has long messy red hair, the longest part of which reaches to his waist. His eyes are an deep orange colour, and his nose pointed. A softer chin frames his face, which is otherwise pale in complexion. Relatively tall, Katsu maintains a lean and sleek appearance. Unlike most Captains, he does not wear his haori in the traditional way. Instead he wraps it around his waist, allowing the bottom half to flow as it normally would while his Division's seal is clearly displayed on his right hip. His Shihakusho is sleeveless, as Katsu wears long black arm warmers, and has narrower legs than standard. Rather than standard Shinigami sandals, as well, Katsu wears simple black shoes that aid fast movement. Personality Katsu is a man who always puts honour and duty above all. To him, serving as one of the Captains of the Gotei 13 and as leader of the Shikaku Force is an honour and a privilege. Tempered by decades of training and battle, Katsu is a calm man that is very much in control of himself and his emotions. Respectful and polite to both his allies and enemies, he never loses his cool and enjoys engaging in small talk and jokes with his opponents. Perhaps the most striking thing about Katsu's personality is his view of battle itself - he is a firm believer that, once you have first tasted the blood of another living being, you become a monster. It is further to this that Katsu believes there is no good or evil, nor is there right or wrong. To Katsu, everyone is simply fighting to promote their own ideals. In this way, he bears no grudge against his opponents unless their ideals are themselves disagreeable. Typically, Katsu is not one to work with a partner. To him, for every extra combatant on your side, your chances of losing simply increases. The only exception is fellow Captain and leader of the Kido Corps, Sankaze Mikao. As the two have distinctive styles of combat, they suit each other well and cover each other's weaknesses. Surprisingly, the two get on very well. Beyond the knowledge that Katsu isn't fond of paperwork and usually gets Mikao to do it for him, nobody knows exactly why the two are considered the closest friends between any Captains. History Unlike most Shinigami, Katsu did not begin his journey in the Academy nor the Gotei 13. He was scouted by the Onmitsukido, and began serving them as a member of the Patrol Corps. His duties were varied and interesting, something that appealed to him greatly. Over time, he awoke his Zanpakuto's Shikai form and was promoted to the Executive Militia. It was during this time that Katsu's skill with Shunpo was becoming evident. Even though not a formal member of the Gotei 13, he was already capable enough with Shunpo that he could reach locations much faster than a Vice Captain. This made him invaluable in many uprisings, as he often acted as a first response. It was because of his fast action and swift response that Katsu was officially offered a place as the Third Division's Vice Captain. There were whispers that the Onmitsukido were becoming too influential, with members apparently positioned in multiple Divisions, but it was unfounded gossip. Katsu became highly useful to both the Onmitsukido and the Gotei 13 in the following years, providing invaluable assistance to both. But peace would not last. During the great schism that occured one hundred years ago, Katsu saw himself torn between his duties. His loyalty to his Captain required he join the battle against the Central 46, while his duty to the Onmitsukido required he kill anyone who sought to attack them. He tried to remain neutral, but was soon ordered by the Onmitsukido to assassinate his own Captain. Following his orders, Katsu attacked and fatally wounded his Captain. He expected his Captain to curse him, hate him with his dying breath, but found no malice. Instead, his Captain simply smiled and asked Katsu a favour - to put an end to this war. Even though his battle with his Captain had heavily damaged Katsu, he left the corpse of his Captain behind and headed for the Chambers of the Central 46 to prepare for a massacre. Being one of the highest ranking members of the Onmitsukido, Katsu was more than capable of sneaking into the Chambers and using his newly awakened Bankai to kil all of the Central 46 without anyone knowing. True to this, even now, no one truly knows who ended the Schism so swiftly and decisively. Soon after the Schism ended Katsu was given the Captaincy of the Third Division as well as leadership of the Onmitsukido's mysterious fourth unit, the Shikaku (Assassination) Force, due to his incredible loyalty. It has been an entire century since those terrible events and nothing of note has truly happened since. At least, not yet... Plot Powers and Abilities Master Hand-to-Hand Combatant: 'As the Commander of the Shikaku Force of the Onmitsukido, it would be unacceptable for Katsu to be anything less than a master of hand-to-hand combat. Katsu is so proficient in the use of this style of combat that he uses it exclusively on opponents he considers lower than a Captain in power or skill. Katsu is considered legendary for his ability to defeat his opponents without drawing his Zanpakuto. '''Master Swordsmanship Specialist: '''As the Captain of the Third Division of the Gotei 13, Katsu is required to have high skill when wielding his Zanpakuto. Even though he rarely resorts to this style of combat, he is extremely skilled in the area and is capable of combining swordsmanship with hand-to-hand combat skills with great efficiency. When using his sealed sword, Katsu is notable for wielding his Zanpakuto in a reverse grip style. Katsu's skill in swordsmanship is further evident by his effortless ability to wield his Zanpakuto's many Shikai forms as if they were no different than its sealed form. '''Immense Spiritual Pressure: ' As a Senior Captain within the Gotei 13, Katsu boasts an impressive amount of reiatsu. His reiatsu is intense enough to cause even Lieutenant-level Shinigami become weak and demoralised, and a considerable shockwave is caused when he releases his reiatsu in combat. His control over his reiatsu is so great that he can consciously hide it from Captain-class beings and below. 'Master Assassin: '''As the Commander of the Shikaku Force, Katsu is the greatest assassin currently within Soul Society. Due to his extensive knowledge of assassination techniques and incredible skill with Flash Steps, he is often capable of killing unwary opponents without them ever knowing. '''Enhanced Strength: '''Katsu has frequently shown the ability to defeat opponents many times larger and bulkier than him, and has little trouble lifting and moving large objects like slabs of rock or vehicles as well as quickly stopping blows from much larger opponents. '''Enhanced Speed: '''Hailed by many as the fastest Captain of the Gotei 13, Katsu is well known for his immense speed and reflexes in battle. His speed is so great that, should he want, he can keep up with most Shinigami who are using Shunpo without using it himself. '''Enhanced Agility: '''Of all the areas Katsu prides himself most on, his agility is likely the greatest. An immensely agile combatant, Katsu is capable of remarkable dexterity and usage of the battlefield itself to attack his opponents from many different angles. '''Flash Steps Master: '''Of all the Captains in the Gotei 13, Katsu's Flash Steps are the fastest. Due to his immense skill and speed whilst using Shunpo, only the most advanced of combatants are capable of successfully attacking him when he uses it to his full skill. In addition, if he so wishes, his Flash Steps can leave behind after images that would normally require the use of Utsusemi. *'Shunsho (瞬嘯, lit. "Flash Howl"): The true counterpart of Shunko and an ancient and forbidden ability, Shunsho literally turns reiatsu into raw physical power. In exchange for rapid growth in all of Katsu's physical abilities, he sacrifices an amount of reiatsu equal to how much of a boost in power he requires. While Katsu has advanced the technique enough to make its reiatsu-robbing effect temporary, he will still lose the power he sacrifices for up to a few weeks. As he requires as much free reiatsu as possible, however, Katsu cannot maintain Shikai or Bankai while using Shunsho. Master Strategist and Tactician: '''As leader of both an entire Gotei 13 Division and the small group of Shinigami within the Shikaku Force, Katsu has proven many times over that he is a insightful and capable leader. Quick to understand a situation, the vital goals and areas of weakness in his allies, Katsu often relies on misdirection and confusion to outwit his opponents and secure victory. He is known for buying time as he gauges his opponent's strengths and weaknesses, as well. '''Kido Expert: '''As a Captain of the Gotei 13, Katsu has good knowledge of a variety of Kido. Even though Mikao has greatly improved his Kido, he still admits that Kido is not his strong point - thus he rarely ever uses any. Zanpakuto '''Tenbatsu (天罰, Divine Punishment): In its sealed form, it resembles a katana that is slightly shorter than average and a white hilt in the shape of a four leafed flower. It is hung from his waist by a thin rope cord with the sharp edge pointed downwards. *Shikai: Triggered by the release command, "Dominate the Heavens, Tenbatsu!" ("風靡其の大空, 天罰!"). Holding his Zanpakuto high, Katsu drags one finger across the length of the blade. As he does so, the blade seems to liquidate and float away from its handle. Upon completion, even the handle becomes liquid as all of the Zanpakuto then floats around Katsu like a ring of silver. **'Shikai Special Ability: '''The ring of silver that floats around Katsu upon activating Tenbatsu's Shikai is able to assume any simple solid shape. Swords, blunt weapons, blocks, shields, large walls, even cooking utensils are within Tenbatsu's ability. The larger the object created, however, the weaker it is constitutionally. As in, the larger the shape Tenbatsu assumes, the easier it is to break. The more objects Tenbatsu is divided into, as well, the easier they are to break. As such, it is a rule of thumb that Tenbatsu can assume the form of two distinct objects roughly equal in size to its sealed form without sacrificing any durability or effectiveness. Objects created through Tenbatsu's ability can float as their original liquid form was able to and can be controlled telepathically, but they cannot travel further than ten feet from Katsu without reverting to liquid form. While the greatest strength of this Shikai is in its offensive versatility, Katsu does have a defensive ability to rely on. ***'Myoga''' (Divine Protection): By shaping Tenbatsu into the form of a large spherical shield, Katsu is able to protect himself from moderately powerful attacks and Kido up to #75. *'Bankai: Tenbatsu Tekimen' (天罰覿面, Swift is Heaven's Vengeance): In Bankai form, Tenbatsu Tekimen does not change appearance considerably. The only noticeable difference is that, instead of a single one floating around Katsu, there are now two liquid rings of silver floating around him. What may go unnoticed, however, is that the liquid is thicker than it once was. **'Bankai Special Ability: '''The two rings of silver act and behave essentially identically to the single ring of silver that makes up Tenbatsu's Shikai. The single defining difference lies in the scope of Tenbatsu Tekimen's scale of transformation. As before, it can only assume a simple solid shape. Unlike before, however, it can be split into as many as ten individual objects without sacrificing durability or effectiveness. The potential scale of objects created is roughly ten times greater, as well, allowing Katsu to even create objects the size of small houses. In addition, the range at which they can operate is increased to up to one hundred feet away from Katsu. While the greatest strength of this Bankai is its versatility, Katsu does have two abilities he uses more than any other. ***'Shinken''' (Divine Sword): By compressing all of Tenbatsu Tekimen into the shape of its sealed form, Katsu gains unimaginable cutting power. When compressed like this, even the hierro of a Privaron Arrancar is like butter to a hot knife. ***'Shinkyo' (Divine Mirror): By compressing all of Tenbatsu Tekimen into the shape of a shield roughly the same size as Katsu, he gains an almost impenetrable defense. When compressed like this, Katsu is protected from all but the most devastating of attacks. Relationships *Sankaze Mikao - The closest friends of any Captains, Katsu and Mikao are living proof that opposites attract. Why the two get along so well, regardless of their vast differences, nobody really knows. Katsu has spent years teaching Mikao how to better use Shunpo, while Mikao has spent years teaching Katsu how to not mess up basic Kido. Their friendship is so great that Mikao is as free to command Third Division Shinigami as Katsu is to command Seventh Division Shinigami. *Asura Mishima - More rivals than friends, Katsu and Asura don't really see eye to eye yet hold great respect for each other. Asura had been impressed by Katsu's skill enough to grant him control of the Shikaku Force, the only group within the Onmitsukido that enjoys relative autonomy in their duties. It is said Asura's unwillingness to teach Katsu Shunko was what caused him to then go to not only learn, but also greatly improve, Shunsho. Trivia *Katsu's name means "Victory of the Young God". *His theme song is "The Noose" by A Perfect Circle. *His favourite food is pizza, which he usually buys from a private restaurant in the Human World. Quotes *"When it comes to battle, there are no heroes or villains. There is no justice or honour. We are nothing but monsters from the day our blades first taste blood... I should know, I've killed many times more men than the number of years I have lived... And I've lived a long time." *"Why do you fight? What is your purpose, your goal? Do you fight for yourself, or someone else? These are the questions all Shinigami of the Third Division ask themselves every day. Battle is not a stage for empty heroics, nor something to take pleasure in. Battle is filled with despair. It is dark and terrifying. That is the way that it should be. If you do not have a purpose on the battlefield, then you do not belong on it." Category:Flynn Category:Senior Captain Category:Shinigami Category:Captain